TIGER Airways has axed Gold Coast, Brisbane and Adelaide flights from its Avalon Airport schedule

The budget carrier will shift the destinations to Melbourne Airport, along with one Avalon-based aircraft.It will retain only Sydney and Perth from Avalon.Aviation analysts say the news is disastrous for the airport as it pursues expansion plans.They say Tiger's move follows heavy budget losses this year and Civil Aviation and Safety Authority refusal to allow the airline to expand Australian operations beyond 10 aircraft.Tiger chief executive Crawford Rix said the shifts were driven by a combination of forces including demand.

Put very simply, the changes reflect a combination of market demand, normal aviation business practice and commercial reality. A strong return fuels future growth,Mr Rix said.Meeting consumer demand and flying the most popular and profitable routes is the basic formula for any successful low-cost airline and the success of Tiger Airways is good for the consumer.Not only did airfares fall dramatically at the same time Tiger Airways entered Australia in November 2007, on the routes we fly we've brought airfares down by around 30 per cent.Tiger launched Avalon services in November, 2010 going head to head with rival Jetstar and announced three weeks later it would ditch flights to Alice Springs, Rockhampton and Mackay.